News

Every May is Arthritis Awareness Month, an opportunity to inform even more people about this complex family of debilitating diseases.

While most people have probably heard of arthritis, it’s likely that many of them don’t know much about the impact of arthritis, the #1 cause of disability in the United States. This painful and debilitating condition that affects nearly 60 million men, women and children in the U.S.

Basic Facts About Arthritis:

• About 1 in 4 adults and hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. have been diagnosed by a doctor with a form of arthritis or related illness.
• Contrary to the common misconception, it’s not just an “old person’s” disease. About two-thirds of those living with arthritis are aged 65 and under.
• There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related rheumatic diseases.
• As our nation’s top cause of disability, arthritis costs the U.S. economy over $300 billion annually in medical bills, lost wages and associated expenses.
• Most people with arthritis also have comorbidities — accompanying conditions, like heart disease, diabetes and obesity — that further jeopardizes their health.

For more information, visit: https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/arthritis-awareness-month